Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger large methane emissions by just moving through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden,
Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger large methane emissions by just moving through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed 20 times higher methane emissions in the shipping lane compared to nearby undisturbed areas.
"Our measurements show that ship passages trigger clear pulses of high methane fluxes from the water to the atmosphere. This is caused by pressure changes and mixing of the water mass. Even if the pulses are short, the total amount during a day is significant," says Amanda Nylund, researcher at Chalmers University of Technology and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, SMHI.
In the current study, the measured methane emissions are completely decoupled from the ships' choice of fuel. This means that all ships can cause emissions and thus shipping's contribution to emissions of greenhouse gases has previously been underestimated, say the researchers who point out that even though methane is found naturally in the sediments, the activity of the ships cause an extensive release into the atmosphere.
The study focuses on shallow marine areas where the sediments are oxygen-free and rich in organic matter. In such environments, methane is formed, and at
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